CNET First Look

More speed, better battery life for Apple's 12-inch MacBook

Apple updates this slim laptop with new components. Just don't expect a second USB-C port.

1:29 / April 19, 2016

Transcript

[BLANK_AUDIO]
One of the most unusual laptops in the past couple of years has been Apple's 12 inch MacBook.
Not a pro, not an air but a just plain MacBook.
It was smaller and lighter than any other MacBook but also less powerful with a battery that didn't last quite as long.
Now despite that, it became a favorite of mine.
That's because it was so amazingly portable and it had all the other features I loved about Macbooks like that instant sleep, wake and all those multi fingered touchpad gestures.
So the one year later version of the 12 inch Macbook, it's a little bit different under the hood.
It adds updated CORAM processors which in our tests of other systems so far, are much better than the original CORAM And it also comes in a new color.
Rose gold.
Now, the keyboard's still kinda shallow.
Takes some getting used to.
And that single USB port means you're gonna need a pocket full of dongles to connect video outputs.
Old style USB keys.
And all kinds of other accessories.
Because it's USB types C which is that small reversible port but obviously doesn't fit any of your existing stuff.
And it's 12.99 with an Intel Core M3 or 15.99 with an Intel Core M5 so you're paying a premium for all that [UNKNOWN] portability.
But despite all that getting a decent boost to the performance and the battery life, enters two of the biggest issues I had with the original version.
And I can see this being my go to laptop for coffee shop computing.
My only regret, I've got the straight laced grey version, instead of that festive rose gold.

Coming up next

Samsung hides an S Pen inside the new Notebook 9 Pen

HP's 13-inch Spectre x360 still rules

Lenovo Miix 520 clones itself for the better

Origin PC Evo15-S: A speedy and svelte gaming notebook

A solid, feature-filled 2-in-1 laptop

HP's perfect laptop for the paranoid professional

The original MacBook Air, 10 years later

Dell's new XPS 15 is a hybrid inside and out

HP adds some Intel to its Envy X2 2-in-1 tablet PC

HP Spectre x360 15 aims to flip MacBook Pro lovers

Latest Laptops videos

Samsung hides an S Pen inside the new Notebook 9 Pen

1:26February 15, 2018

This slim, light 2-in-1 takes a premium laptop and borrows features from the Galaxy Note 8 phone.

Play video

HP's 13-inch Spectre x360 still rules

1:18February 7, 2018

Still svelte and well-designed, updates make the Spectre x360 a better, faster convertible laptop.

Play video

Lenovo Miix 520 clones itself for the better

2:29February 4, 2018

At right around $1,000, the detachable two-in-one gets an impressive performance bump from its predecessor and increase in battery...

Play video

Origin PC Evo15-S: A speedy and svelte gaming notebook

1:36February 3, 2018

The company's 15-inch Max-Q laptop weighs less than 5 pounds with few compromises.

Play video

A solid, feature-filled 2-in-1 laptop

2:09January 31, 2018

The Acer Spin 5 also includes a stylus at an attractively competitive price.